Category Archives: Opiate Treatment

A Presidential briefing on March 19, 2018 in Manchester, NH was used to announce that ADAPT Pharma has volunteered to provide, for free, the life-saving medication NARCAN® to all U.S. high schools, colleges and universities.

NARCAN® is a name brand overdose antidote (based on naloxone) that restores breathing and consciousness in opioid overdose victims typically within five minutes.

ADAPT Pharma offers a 40% discount off wholesale pricing on the Narcan nasal spray to Law Enforcement agencies and Firefighters as well as non-profit community based organizations.

Seamus Mulligan, CEO of ADAPT, commented in a company press release that ADAPT is committed to raising awareness of opioid overdose risks and distributing NARCAN® widely so that it will be available to bystanders and emergency personnel who can offer immediate help in the event of a crisis.

Naltrexone is an opioid treatment medication that works very differently than either methadone or buprenorphine.

Naltrexone functions as an opioid blocker that interferes with the euphoric effects of opiates. Unlike methadone, naltrexone does not eliminate opioid withdrawal. So it is typically only begun following a successful period of opioid detoxification.

Naltrexone is taken as a pill or as a time-released injectable. It blocks the feeling of getting high thus deterring a person from continuing in active drug use with opioids. If there’s no pay off for using, why do it?

Some individuals who don’t necessarily require methadone or buprenorphine can effectively utilize naltrexone as a component of their recovery program. Vivitrol is the time-released, branded version of naltrexone that is taken once monthly as an injection. With Vivitrol, the naltrexone remains active in the bloodstream for 30 days and blocks the effects of heroin or other opiate use. This reinforces one’s focus on recovery choices and can reduce opioid cravings.

Patients receiving naltrexone may develop a lowered tolerance to opioids over time, and should remain aware of the risk of opioid overdose should they relapse. The medication is also used in the treatment of alcohol dependency and has been shown to reduce the euphoric effects of alcohol consumption.

Naltrexone is not to be confused with Naloxone. Naloxone is the opioid overdose reversal medication that has recently been in the news for saving thousands of lives across the country.

Posted onFebruary 13, 2018|Comments Off on Billions To Be Allocated In Fight Against Opioid Crisis

The national budget proposal for the 2019 fiscal year includes a request for $13 billion in funding for opioid treatment and related services. This linked Newsweek article states that $3 billion would be allocated in 2018 and another $10 billion in 2019.

Many opioid treatment programs across the country are currently able to add patient slots when additional funding is made available. The opioid crisis has flooded many clinics that are already at maximum census due to limited State and Medicaid funding.

A number of private pay clinics have opened in recent years as the need for medication-assisted treatment increased. If a substantial allocation of government funds becomes available, opioid treatment services will finally come into sharp national focus as scores of people finally obtain the help they need to stabilize and to recover.

In treating opioid addiction, research has shown that traditional abstinence-based programs which do not utilize medication assistance have a failure rate of 90%. Medication-assistance is a critical factor in helping opioid addicted people move into sustained recovery. The proposed $13 billion earmarked for opioid treatment services can make a huge difference all across the U.S. Methadone or buprenorphine (suboxone) coupled with counseling and drug testing comprise the gold standard of care in treating opioid addiction.

Right Path provide a variety of opioid, alcohol, and other drug addiction treatment services through their various outpatient programs located in Virginia and North Carolina.

The organization utilizes Medication-Assisted Treatment (MAT) for opioid use disorders, and they provide confidential consultation to individuals who are trying to determine the best of course of treatment for dealing with their addiction issues. Right Path are equipped to now provide the new Probuphine implant that utilizes time-released buprenorphine to alleviate opioid withdrawal symptoms as individuals pursue a solid, long-term personal recovery.

Right Path endorse the benefits of 12 Step philosophy while also incorporating a strong medical component in their opioid recovery program due to the statistically high percentage of opioid addicted people who will ultimately relapse without medication-assisted support.

Read more about Right Path’s services and counseling approach at the link above.

Many state-funded addiction treatment services have undergone gradual cuts during the last 15 years. With the rising opioid addiction crisis in America, better access to opioid treatment is definitely needed.

There are a number of private clinics and outpatient treatment centers opening their doors in most every state. These private clinics are meeting a need for services that are often absent in more remote areas of the country.

Some new opioid treatment providers are smaller, independent methadone clinics while others are part of a larger network such as those owned by Acadia Healthcare, Behavioral Health Group (BHG), or Colonial Management Group.

They all have one thing in common, and it is that they provide their patients with medication-assisted treatment (MAT). MAT is scientifically proven to be more effective than other forms of abstinence-based treatment.

Medication assistance typically utilizes methadone or buprenorphine-based products to alleviate a patient’s chronic opioid withdrawal. Without medication-assistance, patients often face either a detox admission or they struggle on in a daily effort to secure opiates so as to prevent the return of withdrawal sickness.

People ready for opioid treatment may find that their local methadone clinic is full, or that their nearest clinic is just too far away to access on a daily basis. For some patients, suboxone/buprenorphine may be the best solution since a prescription can be obtained for several weeks of medication before a return visit is required.

Access to treatment is currently on the radar of national healthcare officials and government legislators, many of whom have received numerous letters and calls from families requesting more funding for treatment, and better access. Media coverage has also been much improved during the past 3 years in part due to the widespread opioid crisis and its broad impact.

Supporting local opioid addiction treatment services is important for every community. It ultimately saves lives, reduces crime, and promotes recovery so that addicted patients can work and function.

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Sublocade is a newly released medication alternative for treating opioid addiction. It is a product of Indivior, the pharmaceutical company responsible for Suboxone. Sublocade is a once monthly injection of time-released buprenorphine typically provided to patients who have been receiving buprenorphine for at least (7) days and who are stable on their medication. The injection […]

In 2017, Ohio increased its number of buprenorphine-approved prescribers by 266. This was the result of a $2.3 million dollar Federal grant that provided state-wide training to doctors, nurse practitioners, and physician assistants as reported by Cleveland.com. Historically, Ohio had numerous communities that were underserved with 19 counties having no buprenorphine providers at the beginning […]

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Methadone.US is an information center on methadone treatment, methadone clinics, and general opioid replacement therapies. This site profiles solutions for those suffering with opiate abuse or dependency, and aims to educate the public on the value of medication-assisted treatment. Buprenorphine.US is a companion site that features thousands of local physicians approved to write prescriptions for buprenorphine and popular drugs containing buprenorphine such as Suboxone.

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